Will parents have a new rating system they can use to judge schools? The state's Department of Education is devleoping one, while the state Legislature is developing another.

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Recently, the Michigan Department of Education unveiled a new color-coded scorecard rating system for schools. Like most big and complicated projects, its first moment in the sun was met with some confusion and criticism. Efforts to improve it began immediately and are ongoing.

But rather than work with MDE and schools to improve the scorecards, some Lansing legislators have chosen to add to the confusion by proposing yet another new rating system. This new system, would have a tortured rating process with separate ratings systems for schools serving grades K-8 and 9-12, with each having ...